5 TRAVEL APPS YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEEDED

Author: Emma Petty
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Last updated: 23 April 2019

We live in a time where there is an app for almost everything – it’s getting hard to imagine how people functioned without them. How did people track their daily steps before smartphones? This is vital information we need to know! It’s no surprise that there are tons of apps out there for us fellow travellers, with the ability to tell you where the nearest restaurants are or to help you book your next flight. We’ve picked a few of our favourite travel apps for you to try for yourselves – download them now and thank us later. 

CITY MAPPER

If you weren’t blessed with a sense of direction, this is a game changer. Available in almost all major cities, City Mapper is a foolproof tool to get you from A to B. It’s functional, efficient and gives you multiple options so you can find a route that suits you best. While it’s important to get your bearings and truly explore a new city, it’s likely that you could only be visiting for a few days and don’t have time to be trawling around looking for a bus stop. If you manage to get lost while using this app, you’re rubbish.

ZOMATO

With an aim of making sure no one is subjected to a bad meal, Zomato has built a community of foodies and explorers who have tried over 1 million restaurants around the world so they could tell you which ones are worth trying. Read reviews, book a table or order to go. This is a one-stop service for those on a culinary journey abroad - yum!

DETOUR

It’s sometimes to hard to truly experience a new city without knowing about the history and culture behind it. Detour uses your phone’s GPS to guide you through the city, giving you an audio tour that syncs with your location. Available in the world’s most iconic cities, this app puts a new spin on the not-so-trendy walking tour. Say goodbye to gaggles of tourists running around Paris in high vis jackets and hello to a pocket-sized tour guide which you can follow in your own time.

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

It’s safe to say you’ve been living under a rock if you don’t know Google Translate exists. But that doesn’t mean we can’t rave about how brilliantly handy and undeniably essential it is. Now with a camera feature, you can take a picture of a road sign or menu item and the app will directly translate it. Easy peasy! It’s important to try the language of a different country. Locals will always appreciate an awkwardly pronounced ‘Gracias, que tengas un buen día’ over a lazy, ‘cheers mate, have a good one’. These small things can really elevate your trip and teach take you out of your comfort zone.

TRAIL WALLET

“Hey Andy, can I have that €1.25 for the hummus and bus ticket I got you yesterday?” If this is a regular occurrence among you and your travel buddies, this app is going to save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to splitting bills – with everything from flights to bar tabs. Trail Wallet makes it super easy to track your spending while you travel, something which we all need a little help with. Gone are the days of accumulating stacks of coins from friends who will only pay you back using change they don't want. Everyone’s a winner!